Paper-feeding mechanism for wrapping machines



Nov. 26, 1929. M. J. MILMOE PAPER FEEDING MECHANISM FOR WRAPPING MACHINES 1924 6 Sheets-Sheet Filed OGt 31 I, v M k Nov. 26, 1929.

PAPER M. J. MILMOE FEEDING MECHANISM FOR WRAPPING MACHINES Filed Oct. 31, 1924 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 26, 1929. M. J. MILMOE PAPER FEEDING MECHANISM FOR WRAPPING MACHINES Filed Oct. 31, 1924 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Nov. 26, 1929. J, MlLMOE 1,737,016

PAPER FEEDING MECHANISM FOR WRAPPING MACHINES Filed 001;. 31, 1924 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Nov. 26, 1929. M. J. MILMOE PAPER FEEDING MECHANISM FOR WRAPPING MACHINES Filed Oct. 31, 1924 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Nov. 26, 1929. M, J, MILMQE 1,737,016

PAPER FEEDING MECHANISM FOR WRAPPING MACHINES Filed Oct. 31, 1924 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented Nov. 26, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MICHAEL J. MILMOE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AS SIGNOR TO F. B. REDINGTON COMPANY OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS PAPER-FEEDING MECHANISM FOR WRAPPING MACHINES Application filed October 31, 1924. Serial No. 74,987.

This invention relates to mechanism for feeding paper in the form of a continuous web to machines for wrapping butter or other material, the feeding mechanism being provided with knives for severing the paper into sections of the proper length to form wrappers.

The invention has for its object the provision of such feeding mechanism which shall be of improved construction and operation and in which the wrapper may be treated to condition it for contact with the article to be wrapped. The present invention is an improvement over the feeding mechanism shown in my Patent No. 1,515,311, granted November 11,1924.

In wrapping butter, or butter like products such as oleomargarin, it has been found desirable to use a double wrapper and to moisten the inner wrapper at the time it is placed upon the brick of butter to prevent the inner wrapper from adhering to the brick. One of the objects of the invention is to provide a process of preparing the wrappers which shall include treatment of this nature and also to provide mechanism for carrying out the process.

The invention is exemplified in the combination and arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying drawings and described in the following specification, and it is more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is an elevation of one form of wrapping mechanism embodying the present invention, the same being applied to the form of wrapping machine shown in my prior application referred to above;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation with parts broken away showing the wrapping mechanism of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the operating mechanism for paper knives and the guides for feeding the paper thereto;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing the parts in a different position;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional View showing the paper knives in top plan;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical section showing the moistening tray and guide rollers;

Fig. 7 is an elevation showing the oppo site side of the feeding mechanism from that illustrated in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary section substantially on line 88 of Fig. 3.

As explained more fully in my prior application referred to above the bricks of butter or butter-like material 10 are fed to the wrapping mechanism over a conveyor 11, the bricks being moved downwardly one at a time from the end of the series by means of a plunger head 12. Prior to the downward movement the wrappers 13 are projected beneath the bricks so that they are partly folded about the downwardly moving brick as it is carried into a runway 14. Further folding is produced within the runway 14 as explained in my prior application, but the particular wrapping mechanism is not a part of the present invention, except as it enters into combination with the paper feeding mechanism. Two webs of wrapping material 15 and 16 are supplied from rolls carried on spindles 17 and 18, respectively. These spindles are journaled on arms 19 and 20 which extend upwardly from the supporting frame 21. The web 16 is carried downwardly between a pair of rollers 22 and 23 and between guides 24 and 25 into the path of the knives 26 and 27. The guides 24 and 25'are preferably triangular in cross-section so as to present knife edges to the surface of the paper. This will prevent the paper from adhering to the guides. The web 15. as shown in Figs. 1 and 6 passes downwardly over a roller 28 which is journaled between the ends of arms 29, there being one arm pivoted at 30 on each side of the frame 21. Springs 31 normally hold the arms 29 in their lowermost position, the movement under the tension of the springs 31 being limited by pins 32 which engage the edges of the frame 21.

The roller 28 in its lowermost position extends into a basin 33 which contains water 34 for moistening the web 15. The pan 33 is reinovably supported in position by brackets 35 extending forwardly from the frame 21, and it will be understood that the roller 28 may swin upwardly to permit removal of the pan w en desired.

The large roller 36 is journaled in the frame 21 for receiving the web'from the small roller 28 and for conducting it for a short distance beneath the surface of the water 34. The large roller is driven by mechanism to be described for the purpose of feeding the web through the pan. From the roller 36 the web is carried upwardly about the roller 23 and from there it passes downwardly between the guides 24 and 25 with the surface thereof in contact with the surface of the web 16. It will be understood that both webs move downwardly side by side and in unison with one another through the guides 24 and 25 and between the knives 26 and 27. The roller 23 is journaled in the frame 21 and rotates on a stationary axis, while the roller 22 is carried on a shaft 37 journaled in the upper ends of arms 38 which are pivoted at 39 on the frame 21. Openings 40 are provided in the side of the frame to permit the arms 38 to swing about their pivotal supports 39 and springs 42 draw the arms 38 forwardly to resiliently press the roller 22 against the roller 23. As shown in Fig. 7ithe roller 36 is provided with a sprocket wheel 43 driven by a sprocket chain 44. This chain in turn is driven by a sprocket wheel 45 carried on a shaft 46 journaled near the lower portion of the frame 21. The shaft 46 is provided with a sprocket wheel 47 driven by a chain 48 connected with the power mechanism for driving the butter wrapping machine.

The roller 36 also has a gear 49 secured thereto which drives a pair of idlers 50 and 51, the idler 51 meshing with the gear 52 connected with the roller 23. The shaft 37 which carries the roller 22 is also provided with a gear 53 which meshes with the gear 52. Proper gear ratios are provided to impart the same peripheral speed to the rollers 36, 22 and 23, and the direction of movement is such as to feed the webs of paper in the proper direction to provide continuous movement from the supply rolls to the knives 26 and 27.

The knife 26 is supported by a pair of arms 54 which are journaled on a shaft 55. The shaft 55 is supported by upright arms 56 secured to a shaft 57 journaled in the frame 21. One of the arms 56, as shown in Fig. 2, is

rovided with a cam roller 58 which travels 1n a groove provided in a cam wheel 59 mounted on the shaft 46 journa led in the frame 21 and driven by the sprocket chain 48. Since both arms 56 are fixed to the same shaft 57 they will be oscillated in unison with one another about the axis of the shaft 57. This oscillation imparts a forward and rear movement to the knife 26 which causes it to pass the cutting edge of the knife 27 for shearing the paper. A finger 60 projects rearwardly at one end of the knife 27 and is provided with a beveled end 61 which guides the upper edge of the knife 26 beneath the lower edge of the knife 27 as they are brought together during the forward movement of the knife 26. The upper edge of the knife 26 is disposed at an angle as shown in Fig. 5, so that the cutting will progress from one side of the web toward the other, the action being similar to that of a pair of shears. The knife 26 is resiliently pressed upwardly against the lewer edge of the knife 27 by means of springs 62 having their lower ends connected to pins 63 on the arms 54 and having their upper ends secured to hooks 65 carried by the frame 66. The frame 66 is provided with rearwardly extending arms 67 which are journaled on the shaft 55 so that the springs 62 normally draw the arms 54 and the knife 26 upwardly toward the frame 66. The movement of the knife toward the frame 66 is limited by pins 68 adjustably secured to the arms 54 in position to strike the lower face of the frame 66. The lower cutting edge of the knife 27 is inclined downwardly from the point of first contact insure cutting engagement between the edges of the knives. The knife 27 is removably held in slots 69 in the rear ends of arms 70 pivoted at 71 on brackets 72 carried by the frame 21. Screws 73 are used for holding the knife 27 in place in its supporting arms 70. One arm 70 is provided with a lower guide bar 74 and upper guide bar 75 the guide bars being in spaced relation to one another to provide a slide-way for crosshead bearing 76. The bearing 76 has a crank pin 77 journaled therein, the pin being carried by the forward end of the frame 66. This arrangement will permit the frame 66 and the knife 26 to be moved back and forth by means of the arms 56 and also to swing up and down, but will also retain the two knives 26 and 27 in proper vertical registration with one another. The upper guide bar 75 is removably held to the arm 70 by screws 78 and 79.

Vertical reciprocation is imparted to the frame 66 by an arm 80 journaled at 81 on the frame 21. The arm 80 is provided with a cam roller 82 which co-operates with the groove 83 in a cam wheel 84 secured to the shaft 60. A link 85 connects the arm 80 with the frame 66 and imparts vertical reciprocation to the frame 66.

The operation of the cutting knives will now be understood by reference to Figs. 1, 3 and 4. The webs 15 and 16 are fed continuously between the guides 24 and 25 and the knives 26 and 27 are shown in their u permost position in Fig. 1 adjacent the ower ends of the guides 24 and 25. While they are in this position the shaft 55 is swung forwardly by the arms 56 and the knife 26 is guided into contact with the knife 27 at one end by the beveled finger 60. Further forward movement of the knife 26 produces a progressive contact between the upper edge of the knife 26 and the lower edge of the knife 27, the point of contact moving transversely of the paper from one side to the other. During the severing operation the frame 66 and the knives attached thereto are carried downwardly in exact unison with the downward movement of the paper. This downward movement of the knives is produced by the arm 80 and the cam 84. In this way the cutprogresses at right angles to the edges of the paper so that the'severed portions will be rectangular in form.

In Fig. 3 the knives are shown in the position they occupy just subsequent to the complete detachment of the severed sections deignated as 90 and 91 respectively.

After the wrappers have been severed from the webs the knives continue to move downwardly and the knife 26 is moved rearwardly by the arm 56 into the position shown in Fig. 4. A pair of stripper arms 92 are pivoted at 93 on the frame of the machine and their forward ends project into position in the rear of the web 16 so as to hold the web from swinging backwardl with the knife 26. This retains the lower en of the web 16 in substantial alignment with the guides 24 and 25 at all times.

As the wrappers 90 and 91 are severed from the webs 15 and 16 they are received between guides 94 and 95 which are also triangular in cross-section to present knife edges to the webs. From the guides 94 and 95 the wrappers are directed to rollers 96 and 97 and are fed by these rollers into position beneath the bricks 10 along guide ways 98 at each side of the head 12. The roller 97 is driven by a chain 99 from a sprocket wheel 100 on the shaft 46. The roller 96 is provided with a pinion 101 meshing with the pinion 102 on the roller- 97 to cause the two rollers to rotate in unison with one another and feed the wrappers to the wrapping mechanism. The roller 96 is preferably spring pressed against the roller 97 by means of springs 103.

In order to prevent overrun of the paper rolls, brake arms 105 are pivoted at 106 on arms 107 projecting upward from the arms 19. The brake arms 105 rest by gravity upon the paper rolls so that the webs will feed evenly from these rolls. Hooks 108 are provided by means of which the brake arms may be held in an inoperative position if desired.

I claim:

1. The method of preparing wrappers comprising the steps of subjecting a continuous Web of wrapping material to moisture, conducting said web into position adjacent a second dry web and severing said webs into sections to provide a double wrapper, one side of which is moist and the webs of which are separate and unattached.

2. The method of preparing wrappers comprising the steps of continuously feeding two webs of wrapping material in juxtaposition with one another keeping said webs separate and unattached, severing registering portions of said webs to form double wrappers, one of said webs being moistened prior to being brought into juxtaposition with the other web so that said wrappers will present a moist surface on one side and a dry surface on the other side.

3. The method of preparing wrappers comprising the steps of feeding a continuous web of wrapping material through a bath of,

water, conducting said web into registration with an unmoistened web and severing sections from said registering webs to produce double wrappers, the webs of which are separate and unattached having a moistened and unmoistened layer of wrapping material.

4. The method of producing wrappers for butter-like material comprising the steps of directing the separate webs of wrapping material into engagementwith one another, one of said webs passing through a bath of water prior to engagement with the other, said webs being passed in contact With one another through spring pressed rollers to press the moistened web closely against the unmoistened web, and severing said webs after passing through said rollers into sections to provide wrappers of two layers.

5. The method of providing wrappers for butter-like material comprising the steps of continuously feeding separate webs of wrapping material from sources of supply through pressure rollers, one of said webs being passed through a Water bath prior to contact with the other of said webs, the two webs being simultaneously severed into sections during the feeding movement thereof and being subsequently directed into position to receive the article to be wrapped with the moistened layer of the wrapper engaging the article.

6. Mechanism for forming a twofold wrapper comprising a pair of rollers, means for directing a web of wrapping material through a bath of water and between said rollers, means for feeding an unmoistened web through said rollers in contact with said moistened web, and mechanism for severing said webs into sections after passing through said rollers.

7. In combination, separate supports for rolls of wrapping material, a basin for containing a treating liquid,means for directing a web of material from one of said rolls through the liquid in said basin, means for directing a web of material from the other of said rolls into contact with the first mentioned web after it has passed through said basin, means for severing said Webs into sections to form wrappers after they have been brought into contact with one another, and means for directing the severed wrappers into position to receive an article to be wrapped.

8. Moistening apparatus comprising a basin for containing water, a roller having its lower portion extending into said basin, pivoted arms projecting into said basin, a guide on the free ends of said arms arranged parallel to the axis of said roller and spaced from the periphery of'said roller, and means for driving said roller to propel a web of material over said guide and roller through the water in said basin.

9. Mechanism for preparing twofold wrappers comprising supports for a pair of rolls of wrapping material, feeding mechanism for withdrawing the material from said rolls, means for directing the material from one of said rolls through a bath of water, means for subsequently bringing the material from said rolls into registration, said last named means comprising resilient members for pressing said material together, and means for severing sections from said wrapping material after the portions thereof from said rolls have been pressed together.

10. The combination with butter wrapping mechanism, of means for assembling a pair of sheets of wrapping material to form a double wrapper, means for moistening one of said sheets, and means for feeding said double wrapper to said wrapping mechanism in position to bring the moistened sheet adjacent the material to be wrapped.

11. The combination with butter wrapping mechanism, of means for moistening a web of wrapping material, means for bringing said web into registration with an unmoistened web, means for severing sections from said webs after they have been brought into registration with one another; and means for feeding the sections thus formed to said butter wrapping mechanism with the moistened web adjacent the material to be wrapped.

12. The combination with butter wrapping mechanism, of means for feeding a web of wrapping material through a bath of water, means for directing said web into registration with an unmoistened web, means for severing sections from said webs after they have been brought into registration with one another to form twofold wrappers, and

means for directing said twofold wrappers to said wrapping mechanism into position to bring the moistened portion thereof into contact with the article to be wrapped.

13. A paper feeding machine comprising means for guiding a web of paper from said other roll into contact with said first web attached and one layer of which has been non-adhesively moistened.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification on this Q8th day of October, A. D. 1924.

MICHAEL J. MILMOE. 

